Ride to the Death
by Heroine of the Valley
Summary: This is a sequel to the story Being a Friend. 2xR


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Ride To The Death

(Sequel to "Being a Friend")

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I do not own Gundam Wing in any way shape or form. So there!

Heero couldn't mean it, or could he? He told Relena he was leaving Earth to go back to outer space. But why? What was in outer space that was so important? The other Gundam Pilots stayed to stick around and work and live. Even Quatre, who's family is in outer space. Heero said he wouldn't be coming back for a long time.

Relena sat and pondered this over and over in her head for hours. He probably just needed some time alone, that's all. He'll be back, she knew he would. After all, he knew she loved him, didn't he? And he loved her back, didn't he? Didn't he???

It had to be a lie. Relena wouldn't believe it. She refused to. She loved Heero more than anything in the world. He saved her life. 

***Flashback***

"You're what?" Relena asked, her voice now more than a whisper.

"I'm leaving for outer space," Heero replied.

"But, why? Are you going to fight again? Who's out there left to fight anyway, Heero?" Relena demanded. "Heero, this is where you belong."

"No, Relena," Heero said, "this is where _you_ belong. I belong out there."

Relena stood up from her desk, "you can't leave! I won't let you!"

Heero made a small half smile. "I knew you would say something like that," he said, "but I have to go."

"Why? What's wrong? What's so important in outer space?"

He put his hands on her shoulders, "I have to go. I can't explain it now. I'm a soldier, not a pacifist. Please understand." He turned away from her and went down the hall.

"Heero wait!" she ran to the door and shouted at him as he walked away, "when will you be back? Heero!" Relena forced herself not to run after him. _If he wants to go, let him go. _She thought to herself._ He's just a stubborn fool, like you._

***End of Flashback***

Relena sighed and picked up the telephone. She paused before dialing the number and she pulled her hand back. _Should I? Well, he is my friend. _Her hand turned into a clenched fist and she dialed the number. "Hi, this is Relena. Can you come over? I need to talk to you."

No more than twenty minutes later, Pagan knocked on her door and opened it halfway, "Miss Relena, someone is here for you. If you're busy, I'll--,"

"It's alright, Pagan. I asked him to come."

Pagan opened the door for Duo to walk in. Duo smiled and hit him friendly on the shoulder, "Hey Pagan,"

"Hello, sir…" Pagan closed the door.

"Thank you for coming, Duo," Relena stood up and walked up to him.

"Sounded important. I--whoa!" he was surprised by the way she greeted him. She threw her arms tightly around his neck. "Whoa, what a hug." He felt her body shake. "Relena, are you okay?"

"No. Heero left." She stepped back and wiped her tears away.

"What do you mean?" he asked, "he just left?"

"Said he needed to go to outer space. He wouldn't tell me why."

"And he didn't tell me or any of the other gundam pilots? He just told you and left?" Duo muttered, "but I didn't hear about any problem in outer space, so why---"

"I guess he just couldn't stand being here anymore."

"Gosh, Relena, I'm sorry," he sympathized. "I wish there was something I could do."

"There is," she said, forcing a smile, "can you take me for another motocycle ride?"

"Sure, Relena," Duo said, "but there's one small problem."

"What?"

He pointed at her dress, "you can't wear that."

"Why not?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips, "what's wrong with it?!"

"Relena, you just can't wear a dress whiile riding a motorcycle!" he said with a laugh. "Do you have anything else?"

"Yeah, wait here," she walked to her bedroom. "I'll be back." Relena looked in her closet and dresser for something suitable to wear on a motorcycle. She found a pair of leather pants that Dorothy gave her and a pink strapless shirt. Dorothy lent her that too. Acutally, Dorothy gave her a bunch of her old clothes. Dorothy would go through her closet once a month and give the things she didn't want to Relena. 

"You need more clothes, Miss Relena," she had always said.

"I have clothes," Relena would try to say.

"I mean something different than what you wear." Dorothy will add bluntly and Relena will always scowl at her.

Relena smiled, "Dorothy, you amaze me sometimes," she shook her head and put the clothes on. She put black shiny boots with pointed toes and heels. She took her bow out of her hair and brushed it. She braided the sides of her hair and was about to put them up like she used to but decided to let them hang by her face loosly. She put on some lipgloss, a silver chain and grabbed a pair of sunglasses she hardly wore.

Duo looked at his watch. _Why do girls always,_ he thought and then look up in time to see Relena walk in, "Whoa, Relena!" 

"Ready when you are," she said with a smile.

Duo jumped up and grabbed her hand, "alright, baby, let's boogie!"

Duo drove her all over the place. He took her to places she never been before. Relena didn't want to stop riding. She loved having the wind blow in her face, brushing her hair on her cheeks and having it fly all around her. It took her away from everything that bothered her. She sighed and tightened her arms around Duo's waist. It began to get dark but Duo kept driving. They were on the freeway and he saw a rest stop up ahead. He must have been driving for over two hours straight and he needed to stop and stretch his legs. He took the exit.

"Duo, what's going on?" she asked, perking her head up behind him.

"Gotta stretch my legs," he said and turned his motorcycle off. Relena got off first.

"Yeah, me too," she stretched her arms over her head and walked around. 

Duo hopped off and went to the vending machine. He took a bag of chips and two sodas. Relena sat on a picnic table and placed her feet on the seats and her hands to the side. She brought her sunglasses up on her head and tilted her head to the stars. When Duo turned away from the vending machines and was about to walk to Relena, he stood there and watched for a while.

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She's so beautiful, he thought. _How could Heero just leave her?_

Relena turned her head to Duo, "hey, what do you have there?"

Duo blushed when she noticed he was standing there watching her. "I uh, thought you might be hungry." He walked to her and handed her a soda and then sat next to her.

"Thanks," she opened the can and took a drink.

He nodded and opened his own can. He opened the bag of chips and offered her some. She took one and he placed it to the other side of him. 

"He's out there somewhere," she said, looking back at the stars.

"Who?" he asked then quickly kicked himself for being stupid. "Oh, Heero?" _Duo, what's wrong with you?_

"Yeah, Heero," she sighed. "Somewhere, fighting, wandering alone by himself. Who knows. He's just too secretive. He hides everything from everybody. What is he hiding?"

"I don't know and I'm his best friend…well, sorta."

"I somehow knew he'd leave," Relena admitted. Then she shook her head to change the subject, "no sense in talking about it. He's gone and he'd never come back." 

"Hey, are you okay?" Duo put his arm around her shoulders.

"I'll be fine," she patted his knee, "thanks for taking me out. Means a lot. I bet Hilde is happy when you're around."

"Yeah," he mumbled.

"What? Did I say something?"

He took his arm from her.

"Duo? Did you and Hilde have a fight?"

"It was more like a misundertsanding," he said. "I'm moving out tomorrow."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Not your fault." He looked down at his feet.

"What happened?" she asked, taking his hand.

"She's well, busy. We don't have much time to do stuff and I been staying at her place for a long time anyway. I didn't want to over stay my welcome so I told her I'd move out. It's just better that way."

"You two got so well together."

"We're still friends," Duo said. "But I don't want to be in that apartment when she's like this. She needs her space."

"Where are you going to stay?" Relena asked.

Duo shrugged, "not sure."

"You don't know? Duo, you just can't move out without knowing where to go!" she slapped his shoulder, "Hilde wouldn't let you go."

"Maybe I'll just drive around."

"You can stay with me. I have plenty of room."

"Oh Relena, I couldn't…" he tried to talk his way out but Relena wouldn't let him.

"Duo, you're my friend. I have a large guest bedroom." She said, "you're welcome to stay as long as you want."

"I'd overstay my welcome. And you're twice as busy as Hilde."

Relena laughed, "true. But I can't just let you leave with no where to go. It wouldn't be right."

He sighed, "Relena…"

Relena smiled and gave him the 'I won't take no for an answer' look.

He laughed, "okay, you talked me into it."

"Great!" She slid her arms past his sides and leaned against him.

He put his hand on her back and rubbed her back and stroke her hair, "thanks, Relena."

"It's the least I could do," she pulled back and smiled. 

Duo wrapped his arm around her again and she put her head on his shoulder. "I'd never forget this."

"Me neither," Relena pecked his cheek and they looked up at the stars again.

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Heero checked himself in an apartment. It wasn't anything fancy but that's how he liked things. It did however have a nice big window. He opened it and placed his hands on the sill and poked his head out to breath the fresh air. "I'm home," he whispered. "Sorry, Relena, but it's just better this way."

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The End


End file.
